BANGKOK - Southeast Asia needs legal channels of migration to help curb human smuggling, the International Organisation of Migration (IOM) said on Thursday, days after it urged efforts to avoid a repeat of this year's disaster when hundreds of refugees were lost at sea or died in jungle camps.
The 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations established an economic community last month to free up capital and trade, but made limited provision for labour movement even though the region has millions of migrant workers.
"There needs to be more legal channels of migration, so that we don't end up unintentionally subsidizing the smugglers," IOM Director General William Lacy Swing told reporters.
"If the visa regime makes it impossible for people to get to the jobs that are there to be filled, then obviously they will go to smugglers and pay a lot of money."
Thousands of migrants from Bangladesh and Myanmar have fled persecution and poverty in recent years, putting their lives in the hands of human smugglers to reach countries with better prospects in Southeast Asia and beyond. (Courtesy of AsiaOne Asia News)
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December 4, 2015
Myanmar elections and democratization in Southeast Asia
The landslide victory of the National League for Democracy (NLD) in the Myanmar elections held on Nov. 8 marks a conquest for democracy. This is the NLD’s second triumph since the military junta conducted general elections for the first time in 1990. However, in 1990, the junta did not cede power.
Two landslide victories within 25 years demonstrate the strong desire of the Myanmar people to embrace democracy.
Indeed, in 2011, responding to strong winds of change and international pressure, the current Myanmar president, Gen. (ret) Thein Sein, declared Myanmar a country open to democracy.
The NLD, led by 1991 Nobel Peace Laureate Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, is now preparing to take office when President Thein’s term ends in March 2016.
Myanmar’s political changes remind us of the experiences of its Southeast Asian neighbors. In 1986 the Philippines saw people’s power topple the dictatorship of Ferdinand Marcos.
Since the fall of Marcos, the Philippines has consistently organized peaceful, democratic elections. (Courtesy of The Jakarta Post)
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Two landslide victories within 25 years demonstrate the strong desire of the Myanmar people to embrace democracy.
Indeed, in 2011, responding to strong winds of change and international pressure, the current Myanmar president, Gen. (ret) Thein Sein, declared Myanmar a country open to democracy.
The NLD, led by 1991 Nobel Peace Laureate Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, is now preparing to take office when President Thein’s term ends in March 2016.
Myanmar’s political changes remind us of the experiences of its Southeast Asian neighbors. In 1986 the Philippines saw people’s power topple the dictatorship of Ferdinand Marcos.
Since the fall of Marcos, the Philippines has consistently organized peaceful, democratic elections. (Courtesy of The Jakarta Post)
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Investing $200 million in Myanmar to boost telecommunication tower business
KUALA LUMPUR (NewsRise) -- Malaysia's largest mobile phone network company by revenue Axiata Group plans to invest up to $200 million in Myanmar over the next eight years to boost ownership of telecommunication towers for mobile networks in one of the world's least tapped frontier markets.
The planned investment is on top of the company's ongoing purchase of majority control in Digicel Myanmar Tower Company that Axiata announced in October. Axiata's wholly-owned tower infrastructure unit edotco will pay $125 million in cash for a 75% stake in Digicel Myanmar.
Axiata will fully-fund the acquisition from part of the $500 million Islamic bond sale programme. "Organic growth thereafter will be funded via free cash flows of [Digicel Myanmar] and commercial debt as appropriate," said edotco chief executive Suresh Sidhu. (Courtesy of Nikkei Asia Review)
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The planned investment is on top of the company's ongoing purchase of majority control in Digicel Myanmar Tower Company that Axiata announced in October. Axiata's wholly-owned tower infrastructure unit edotco will pay $125 million in cash for a 75% stake in Digicel Myanmar.
Axiata will fully-fund the acquisition from part of the $500 million Islamic bond sale programme. "Organic growth thereafter will be funded via free cash flows of [Digicel Myanmar] and commercial debt as appropriate," said edotco chief executive Suresh Sidhu. (Courtesy of Nikkei Asia Review)
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Myanmar's victorious opposition party keeps quiet on outcomes of military and presidential meetings
Myanmar's opposition is tight-lipped about the outcomes of separate talks between leader Aung San Suu Kyi and the country's president and top general, citing the need for goodwill with its future government partners to ensure a smooth path to office.
Ms Suu Kyi on Wednesday met with the Myanmar military's commander-in-chief Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, the head of a military she must work with in power-sharing executive, despite her party securing an overwhelming public mandate in the November 8 general election.
Their hour-long discussion appeared to be cordial, described by a smiling Min Aung Hlaing as "very nice".
Senior National League for Democracy (NLD) member Win Htein said the victors would not rock the boat and had been ordered to keep strategy a secret.
Ms Suu Kyi's NLD won more than four-fifths of the vote, but a constitution written by the military before it ceded power in 2011 guarantees its nominees get 25 per cent of parliamentary seats, three key cabinet posts and a vice-presidential position. (Courtesy of ABC news)
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Ms Suu Kyi on Wednesday met with the Myanmar military's commander-in-chief Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, the head of a military she must work with in power-sharing executive, despite her party securing an overwhelming public mandate in the November 8 general election.
Their hour-long discussion appeared to be cordial, described by a smiling Min Aung Hlaing as "very nice".
Senior National League for Democracy (NLD) member Win Htein said the victors would not rock the boat and had been ordered to keep strategy a secret.
Ms Suu Kyi's NLD won more than four-fifths of the vote, but a constitution written by the military before it ceded power in 2011 guarantees its nominees get 25 per cent of parliamentary seats, three key cabinet posts and a vice-presidential position. (Courtesy of ABC news)
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Myanmar media lawyers commit to engaging on broadcast reform
The Myanmar Media Lawyers’ Network (MMLN) and the Centre for Law and Democracy (CLD) hosted a workshop on 29 November to discuss changes to the country’s broadcasting framework, and how they will impact freedom of expression in the country, according to a statement on 3 December.
The workshop, which was carried out with support from International Media Support (IMS), featured a robust discussion about the country’s new Broadcasting Law and how it measures up against international standards.
“The new Broadcasting Law is a very significant development in terms of democratising the media landscape in Myanmar,” said Toby Mendel, Executive Director of CLD. “It is very good to see that the MMLN is getting involved in this issue, given the centrality of broadcast regulation to a healthy media environment.”
One issue that participants focused on was the National Broadcasting Council, which is tasked with regulating broadcasting. The Broadcasting Law requires the Council to be established by the end of February, after consultations with the public and civil society. MMLN members made a commitment to be actively engaged in the consultation process, once it is announced. (Courtesy of Mizzima)
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The workshop, which was carried out with support from International Media Support (IMS), featured a robust discussion about the country’s new Broadcasting Law and how it measures up against international standards.
“The new Broadcasting Law is a very significant development in terms of democratising the media landscape in Myanmar,” said Toby Mendel, Executive Director of CLD. “It is very good to see that the MMLN is getting involved in this issue, given the centrality of broadcast regulation to a healthy media environment.”
One issue that participants focused on was the National Broadcasting Council, which is tasked with regulating broadcasting. The Broadcasting Law requires the Council to be established by the end of February, after consultations with the public and civil society. MMLN members made a commitment to be actively engaged in the consultation process, once it is announced. (Courtesy of Mizzima)
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Rocket Internet launches online hotel booking site Jovago in Myanmar
Jovago.com is an online hotel booking service with operations in Africa and Asia.
Mainly targeting local travellers, Jovago has established a team that will help people book hotels featured on their website.
“Myanmar is a great country with breathtaking scenery and hospitable people. There is a strong demand by locals and foreigners to discover the entire country and Jovago wants to be a solution. The potential of Myanmar is huge not only for Jovago but for the tourism industry and all our hotel partners,” said Paul Midy, CEO of Jovago, in a statement.
Currently having about 250 hotels listed on the site, Jovago is expanding its partnership to reach about 1,500 hotels by the next year.
Being the fist online hotel booking site targeting Myanmar people featuring the local language, bookings can be made either through the website or the application currently available on android phones. (Courtesy of DealStreetAsia)
For more information - Visit here.
Mainly targeting local travellers, Jovago has established a team that will help people book hotels featured on their website.
“Myanmar is a great country with breathtaking scenery and hospitable people. There is a strong demand by locals and foreigners to discover the entire country and Jovago wants to be a solution. The potential of Myanmar is huge not only for Jovago but for the tourism industry and all our hotel partners,” said Paul Midy, CEO of Jovago, in a statement.
Currently having about 250 hotels listed on the site, Jovago is expanding its partnership to reach about 1,500 hotels by the next year.
Being the fist online hotel booking site targeting Myanmar people featuring the local language, bookings can be made either through the website or the application currently available on android phones. (Courtesy of DealStreetAsia)
For more information - Visit here.
Honduras, Myanmar, Haiti top risk list, says climate group
Le Bourget (France): Honduras, Myanmar and Haiti top a new list of nations hardest hit by two decades of storms, floods, landslides and droughts that killed more than half a million people, climate analysts reported today, warning of more frequent disasters if Earth's overheating cannot be tamed. Scientists point to the mounting threat from storms, floods, droughts and rising seas if mankind cannot brake emissions from heat-trapping greenhouse gases, especially from fossil fuels.
A red-flag to negotiators from 195 countries trying to broker a global climate-saving pact in Paris, the Bonn-based advocacy group Germanwatch released the 2016 Global Climate Risk Index showing those nations most affected by the direct consequences of extreme weather events. Honduras, Myanmar and Haiti were the most afflicted by such disasters between 1995 and 2014, said the latest edition of the annual index. (Courtesy of IBNLive)
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A red-flag to negotiators from 195 countries trying to broker a global climate-saving pact in Paris, the Bonn-based advocacy group Germanwatch released the 2016 Global Climate Risk Index showing those nations most affected by the direct consequences of extreme weather events. Honduras, Myanmar and Haiti were the most afflicted by such disasters between 1995 and 2014, said the latest edition of the annual index. (Courtesy of IBNLive)
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Union Parliament approves defense MoU between Myanmar, Israel
The Union Parliament of Myanmar agreed on November 30 to sign the Memorandum of Understanding between Myanmar and Israel on defence and security cooperation.
MPs Khine Maung Yi and Saw Tun Mya Aung discussed the MoU during the parliament session.
Deputy Minister for Defence Brig Gen Aung Thaw proposed the MoU between Myanmar and Israel to the parliament on November 23.
The President's Office sent a letter to the Union Parliament on November 17 saying the Myanmar Ministry of Defense was trying to sign an MoU with Israel in line with the domestic laws of each country. The ministry is setting legal provisions for the cooperation.
According to the letter of from the President's Office, the MoU contains provisions for cooperation in military exercises, legal provisions for defense and security, information, military assistance, military finance, science and technology and military medical practices. (Courtesy of Eleven Myanmar)
MPs Khine Maung Yi and Saw Tun Mya Aung discussed the MoU during the parliament session.
Deputy Minister for Defence Brig Gen Aung Thaw proposed the MoU between Myanmar and Israel to the parliament on November 23.
The President's Office sent a letter to the Union Parliament on November 17 saying the Myanmar Ministry of Defense was trying to sign an MoU with Israel in line with the domestic laws of each country. The ministry is setting legal provisions for the cooperation.
According to the letter of from the President's Office, the MoU contains provisions for cooperation in military exercises, legal provisions for defense and security, information, military assistance, military finance, science and technology and military medical practices. (Courtesy of Eleven Myanmar)
90% phone access planned for 2020
A master plan has been drawn up for a five-year project for Myanmar’s telecommunication sector, according to the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology.
The plan was drawn up with the help of the Asia Development Bank (ADB) to detail expectations for the telecommunications sector by 2020. The master plan in draft was announced in July and comments were invited.
It expected the availability of mobile phones, landlines and satellite communication networks would reach 90 per cent of the population. It said half the population should have access to fast internet of around 7.2 megabytes per second and 85 per cent should have online access.
Telephones were available to only 10 per cent of citizens in 2013, reaching 40 per cent this year. Foreign investment in the telecommunications reached US$2.8 billion and the sector is expected to create about 250,000 jobs in the next 15 years, said the draft.
From 60 to 70 per cent of mobile phone users had a smartphone and the average usage of internet per month was around 500 megabytes, it said. (Courtesy of Eleven Myanmar)
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The plan was drawn up with the help of the Asia Development Bank (ADB) to detail expectations for the telecommunications sector by 2020. The master plan in draft was announced in July and comments were invited.
It expected the availability of mobile phones, landlines and satellite communication networks would reach 90 per cent of the population. It said half the population should have access to fast internet of around 7.2 megabytes per second and 85 per cent should have online access.
Telephones were available to only 10 per cent of citizens in 2013, reaching 40 per cent this year. Foreign investment in the telecommunications reached US$2.8 billion and the sector is expected to create about 250,000 jobs in the next 15 years, said the draft.
From 60 to 70 per cent of mobile phone users had a smartphone and the average usage of internet per month was around 500 megabytes, it said. (Courtesy of Eleven Myanmar)
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Myanmar’s best hope
Aung San Suu Kyi’s meetings with Myanmar’s President Thein Sein and military chief General Min Aung Hlaing, nearly a month after her party’s resounding election win, are highly significant, given the tumultuous civil-military relations in the Southeast Asian nation. Ms. Suu Kyi had reportedly asked for these meetings immediately after the polls. But the delay had triggered some concerns over whether the still-powerful military would accept the election result and let her National League for Democracy form the next government, which is expected to assume office on March 31. A presidential spokesperson later allayed the concerns, saying both leaders had discussed a “smooth transition and transfer of power to the newly elected government”. While the military-backed government’s reassurance that it is committed to political transition is welcome, the process of transition and building a constitutional framework for the new government could turn out to be a cumbersome process. That is mainly because the military is unlikely to be willing to cede full control to the civilian government. The military-written Constitution bars Ms. Suu Kyi from becoming the President because her children are not Burmese, and it reserves key Ministries, including defence, interior and border security, for the military. Gen. Aung Hlaing has already said there would not be any change in the Constitution to let Ms. Suu Kyi become the President. She has, on the other hand, vowed to lead the government “whether or not” she is the President.
Ms. Suu Kyi is the best hope Myanmar has at this point of time. She is a stout democrat and widely popular, and her party has a legitimate mandate to lead the country, which faces several problems from poverty to ethnic conflict. One of the reasons the military agreed to a transition to a more democratic set-up was the realisation that it could not rule the country with an iron fist forever. Despite years of suppression, the political opposition has been resolute. Besides, the internal dynamics of the Myanmar society remain fragile. The Rohingya community, Muslims castigated as illegal immigrants, have been widely discriminated against by sections of the Buddhist majority. The government’s efforts to end the civil war with ethnic groups through negotiated agreements were only partially successful as rebels in the region bordering China refused to sign ceasefire pacts in October. The country also faces a huge economic challenge. (Courtesy of The Hindu)
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Ms. Suu Kyi is the best hope Myanmar has at this point of time. She is a stout democrat and widely popular, and her party has a legitimate mandate to lead the country, which faces several problems from poverty to ethnic conflict. One of the reasons the military agreed to a transition to a more democratic set-up was the realisation that it could not rule the country with an iron fist forever. Despite years of suppression, the political opposition has been resolute. Besides, the internal dynamics of the Myanmar society remain fragile. The Rohingya community, Muslims castigated as illegal immigrants, have been widely discriminated against by sections of the Buddhist majority. The government’s efforts to end the civil war with ethnic groups through negotiated agreements were only partially successful as rebels in the region bordering China refused to sign ceasefire pacts in October. The country also faces a huge economic challenge. (Courtesy of The Hindu)
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Myanmar trying to grab Bangladesh territory in Bay of Bengal
There is an attempt from Myanmar to grab a large piece of area in the Bay of Bengal, which lawfully belongs to Bangladesh.
Bangladesh has already registered its protest against the attempt of Myanmar.
“We came to know about the attempt and immediately we took action and protested it,” said a senior official of the Foreign Ministry.
He said Myanmar in July submitted a petition to the UN claiming a certain portion of the sea, which belongs to Bangladesh and India.
“We submitted counter petitions and urged the UN to reject the Myanmar claim,” he said.
Myanmar claim on continental shelf of the Bay of Bengal is not aligned with the verdicts of the international courts, which resolved boundary disputes between Bangladesh, Myanmar and India.
Bangladesh filed cases with the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS) to resolve maritime boundary dispute with Myanmar and with Arbitral Tribunal to resolve maritime boundary dispute with India.
“Both the courts stipulated how much area Bangladesh, Myanmar and India will get,” the official said.
Nobody can claim beyond the award given by the courts, he said adding: “Myanmar has crossed the line and claimed which lawfully belonged to Bangladesh and India.”
Myanmar submitted its first claim on the continental shelf with the UN in 2008 and Bangladesh objected it. (Courtesy of Dhaka Tribune)
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Bangladesh has already registered its protest against the attempt of Myanmar.
“We came to know about the attempt and immediately we took action and protested it,” said a senior official of the Foreign Ministry.
He said Myanmar in July submitted a petition to the UN claiming a certain portion of the sea, which belongs to Bangladesh and India.
“We submitted counter petitions and urged the UN to reject the Myanmar claim,” he said.
Myanmar claim on continental shelf of the Bay of Bengal is not aligned with the verdicts of the international courts, which resolved boundary disputes between Bangladesh, Myanmar and India.
Bangladesh filed cases with the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS) to resolve maritime boundary dispute with Myanmar and with Arbitral Tribunal to resolve maritime boundary dispute with India.
“Both the courts stipulated how much area Bangladesh, Myanmar and India will get,” the official said.
Nobody can claim beyond the award given by the courts, he said adding: “Myanmar has crossed the line and claimed which lawfully belonged to Bangladesh and India.”
Myanmar submitted its first claim on the continental shelf with the UN in 2008 and Bangladesh objected it. (Courtesy of Dhaka Tribune)
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Myanmar in Aung San Suu Kyi's hands
After her massive electoral sweep of more than 80% of legislative seats on Nov 8, Aung San Suu Kyi now stands at a crossroads between her country's past and future amid her own leadership aspirations.
Her win, under the National League for Democracy (NLD) banner, was an overdue deliverance for the Myanmar people who have languished under the weight and abuse of military-authoritarian rule since 1962. At issue now, because she is constitutionally barred from being president, is whether Ms Suu Kyi is willing to lead from behind.
While such a role requires personal sacrifices that would not be easy for a global iconic figure who has suffered so much under prolonged adversity, it may be the best way forward for Myanmar, formerly known as Burma.
Like Thailand and other contentious polities in the Southeast Asian region and beyond, Myanmar's political stability and economic development necessitate ongoing accommodation and compromise, underpinned by a spirit of reconciliation for the greater good. If vested interests and personal ambitions supersede the public interest in stability and progress, then opportunities will be lost and regression and retrenchment may set in. (Courtesy of Bangkok Post)
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Her win, under the National League for Democracy (NLD) banner, was an overdue deliverance for the Myanmar people who have languished under the weight and abuse of military-authoritarian rule since 1962. At issue now, because she is constitutionally barred from being president, is whether Ms Suu Kyi is willing to lead from behind.
While such a role requires personal sacrifices that would not be easy for a global iconic figure who has suffered so much under prolonged adversity, it may be the best way forward for Myanmar, formerly known as Burma.
Like Thailand and other contentious polities in the Southeast Asian region and beyond, Myanmar's political stability and economic development necessitate ongoing accommodation and compromise, underpinned by a spirit of reconciliation for the greater good. If vested interests and personal ambitions supersede the public interest in stability and progress, then opportunities will be lost and regression and retrenchment may set in. (Courtesy of Bangkok Post)
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USDP boss in court for fake Suu Kyi photo
Than Tun of the Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) in Kangyidaunk Township, Ayeyawady Region, who is accused of uploading a digitally manipulated photo of Aung San Suu Kyi, chairperson of National League for Democracy, on his Facebook page, has appeared in court.
On a page named “Thu Thu”, he posted a fake photo captioned: “Mother Suu, who will compete in 2015.” The alleged account owner is Than Tun, the joint head of the Kangyidaunk USDP.
On October 17, Sithu Aung, on behalf of a Kangyidaunk youth group, lodged a complaint with the township police.
Than Tun was arrested on October 20 under Section 66(D) of the Electronic Communications Law and held until November 2 before securing bail.
He received medical treatment at Kangyidaunk and Pathein hospitals as he was suffering from abdominal disease.
He was arrested again on November 25. (Courtesy of Eleven Myanmar)
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On a page named “Thu Thu”, he posted a fake photo captioned: “Mother Suu, who will compete in 2015.” The alleged account owner is Than Tun, the joint head of the Kangyidaunk USDP.
On October 17, Sithu Aung, on behalf of a Kangyidaunk youth group, lodged a complaint with the township police.
Than Tun was arrested on October 20 under Section 66(D) of the Electronic Communications Law and held until November 2 before securing bail.
He received medical treatment at Kangyidaunk and Pathein hospitals as he was suffering from abdominal disease.
He was arrested again on November 25. (Courtesy of Eleven Myanmar)
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What Suu Kyi’s victory really means
The November 8 elections in Myanmar reaffirmed the fact that its people, cutting across religious and ethnic differences, have abiding faith in the abilities of the charismatic Aung San Suu Kyi to lead them into an era of ethnic peace, prosperity and democratic freedoms.
Administering a stunning rout of the ruling military-dominated Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP), Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy won 135 out of the 168 seats contested in the Lower House and 255 of the 330 seats contested in the Upper House.
These results assured her a comfortable majority in both houses of parliament, where 25 per cent of the members are nominated by the armed forces. The army continues to play a significant role in national affairs, especially on issues of internal and external security.
Ruling Myanmar inevitably involves wearing a crown of thorns. Ever since its independence in 1948, Myanmar has been torn apart by a number of ethnic insurgencies. There are 135 different ethnic groups in the country, with the majority Burmans (Bamars) constituting 68 per cent of the population. But in substantive terms, the country comprises seven states, representing the seven major ethnic nationalities and seven regions of majority Bamars. (Courtesy of The Hindu Business Line)
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Administering a stunning rout of the ruling military-dominated Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP), Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy won 135 out of the 168 seats contested in the Lower House and 255 of the 330 seats contested in the Upper House.
These results assured her a comfortable majority in both houses of parliament, where 25 per cent of the members are nominated by the armed forces. The army continues to play a significant role in national affairs, especially on issues of internal and external security.
Ruling Myanmar inevitably involves wearing a crown of thorns. Ever since its independence in 1948, Myanmar has been torn apart by a number of ethnic insurgencies. There are 135 different ethnic groups in the country, with the majority Burmans (Bamars) constituting 68 per cent of the population. But in substantive terms, the country comprises seven states, representing the seven major ethnic nationalities and seven regions of majority Bamars. (Courtesy of The Hindu Business Line)
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Myanmar plans special economic zone in western state
YANGON, Dec. 4 (Xinhua) -- Myanmar is demarcating an area of 1,737 hectares in Kyaukphyu, western Rakhine state to establish a special economic zone (SEZ) in the region, an official report said Friday.
Seeking approval of the parliament, the initial phase of the Kyaukphyu SEZ development project will have three components, a deep-sea port, an industrial park and an integrated residential area.
The industrial park project will be implemented in a plot area of 8.5 km south of Kyaukphyu where there are five village-tracts, while the deep-sea port project-1 lies at a location north of Made Island and the deep-sea port project-2 is located north of Yanpye. The residential building project stands 12 km south of Kyaukphyu involving two village-tracts.
The master plan covers three townships, of which Kyaukphyu will be mainly set as zone for developing industry, while Yanpye township be agro-based development zone and Manaung township be eco-tourism development zone. (Courtesy of GlobalPost)
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Seeking approval of the parliament, the initial phase of the Kyaukphyu SEZ development project will have three components, a deep-sea port, an industrial park and an integrated residential area.
The industrial park project will be implemented in a plot area of 8.5 km south of Kyaukphyu where there are five village-tracts, while the deep-sea port project-1 lies at a location north of Made Island and the deep-sea port project-2 is located north of Yanpye. The residential building project stands 12 km south of Kyaukphyu involving two village-tracts.
The master plan covers three townships, of which Kyaukphyu will be mainly set as zone for developing industry, while Yanpye township be agro-based development zone and Manaung township be eco-tourism development zone. (Courtesy of GlobalPost)
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Meeting on problem of Myanmar's boat people
Five men recently detained near Hat Yai are among the first of the seasonal wave of boat people from Myanmar expected in South-east Asia in the coming months.
The boat people identified as Rohingya - minority Muslims from Myanmar's Rakhine state - were found just as Thailand hosts a Special Meeting on Irregular Migration in the Indian Ocean today in Bangkok. Bangladesh, Myanmar, Indonesia and Malaysia will be at the meeting, too.
The meeting of senior officials, plus UN organisations and diplomats based in Thailand, is a follow-up to the one in May that was called when thousands of boat people were coming ashore across Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia.
Fewer are expected this year; observers tracking departures say it is likely only 1,000-odd individuals left Rakhine state last month.
The drop has been been credited to Thailand's crackdown this year on human smuggling and trafficking syndicates. But while there may not be huge numbers, there will remain a steady flow, activists warn.
Host Thailand will propose a plan it has drafted - on a regional response to the boat people - for discussion and agreement. (Courtesy of The Straits Times)
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The boat people identified as Rohingya - minority Muslims from Myanmar's Rakhine state - were found just as Thailand hosts a Special Meeting on Irregular Migration in the Indian Ocean today in Bangkok. Bangladesh, Myanmar, Indonesia and Malaysia will be at the meeting, too.
The meeting of senior officials, plus UN organisations and diplomats based in Thailand, is a follow-up to the one in May that was called when thousands of boat people were coming ashore across Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia.
Fewer are expected this year; observers tracking departures say it is likely only 1,000-odd individuals left Rakhine state last month.
The drop has been been credited to Thailand's crackdown this year on human smuggling and trafficking syndicates. But while there may not be huge numbers, there will remain a steady flow, activists warn.
Host Thailand will propose a plan it has drafted - on a regional response to the boat people - for discussion and agreement. (Courtesy of The Straits Times)
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Return of Bangladesh nationals from Myanmar completed
Bangladesh has completed the process of taking back all her nationals rescued in Myanmar in the Bay of Bengal and the Andaman Sea in May and June 2015, the Bangladesh Embassy in Myanmar said in a statement on 2 December.
With the return of the last batch of 48 verified Bangladesh nationals on 2 December 2015, Bangladesh authorities have successfully completed the entire process of repatriation within less than six months.
There were a total of 853 persons who were presented as Bangladesh nationals after being rescued by Myanmarauthorities in three successive rescue operations on May 21, May 29 and June 15, 2015 in the bordering seas. After fast-tracking the verification process, Bangladesh authorities have established the citizenship of 799 persons. They were repatriated to Bangladesh in seven batches. (Courtesy of Mizzima)
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With the return of the last batch of 48 verified Bangladesh nationals on 2 December 2015, Bangladesh authorities have successfully completed the entire process of repatriation within less than six months.
There were a total of 853 persons who were presented as Bangladesh nationals after being rescued by Myanmarauthorities in three successive rescue operations on May 21, May 29 and June 15, 2015 in the bordering seas. After fast-tracking the verification process, Bangladesh authorities have established the citizenship of 799 persons. They were repatriated to Bangladesh in seven batches. (Courtesy of Mizzima)
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Fog of ethnicity weighs on Myanmar's future
One of the hackneyed themes of contemporary Myanmar politics, repeated so often and so rarely questioned that it seems a truism, is the supposed conflict between the Burman majority and the various other ethnic groups lumped under the labels Kachin, Chin, Karen, Shan, Rakhine, Mon, and Kayah. Fog of ethnicity weighs on Myanmar's future
A similarly repeated truism is that the central government and army are dominated by the Burman group (also known as the Bama or Bamar), which is set on obliterating the ethnic diversity of the country through a process known as Burmanization. These related themes are advanced to justify the persistence of nearly perpetual low-level guerrilla warfare between the central government and armed groups that adopt the names of the various ethnic groups.
Can this simplistic account of Myanmar's politics be questioned? If so, how? Well, for one thing, the Nov. 8 elections which produced an overwhelming majority for the National League for Democracy, a party often described as an essentially Burman organization no different from the governing establishment it is to replace, suggests that ethnicity is not as salient in Myanmar's politics as these cliched themes suggest.
Ethnically designated parties did remarkably badly in the elections. They won only 11.2% of the seats in the bicameral national parliament (Pyidaungsu Hluttaw) and are in no position to claim to dominate the state legislatures that bear the labels of the seven largest ethnic categories, other than Burmans. In these legislatures, ethnically-designated parties won just 2 of 18 seats in Chin, 7 of 40 in Kachin, none of 15 in Kayah, 1 of 16 in Kayin, 3 of 23 in Mon, 22 of 35 in Rakhine, and 47 of 103 in Shan. (In the last case, the Shan-designated party was only one of a variety of ethnically designated parties that managed to win seats.) (Courtesy of Nikkei Asian Review)
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A similarly repeated truism is that the central government and army are dominated by the Burman group (also known as the Bama or Bamar), which is set on obliterating the ethnic diversity of the country through a process known as Burmanization. These related themes are advanced to justify the persistence of nearly perpetual low-level guerrilla warfare between the central government and armed groups that adopt the names of the various ethnic groups.
Can this simplistic account of Myanmar's politics be questioned? If so, how? Well, for one thing, the Nov. 8 elections which produced an overwhelming majority for the National League for Democracy, a party often described as an essentially Burman organization no different from the governing establishment it is to replace, suggests that ethnicity is not as salient in Myanmar's politics as these cliched themes suggest.
Ethnically designated parties did remarkably badly in the elections. They won only 11.2% of the seats in the bicameral national parliament (Pyidaungsu Hluttaw) and are in no position to claim to dominate the state legislatures that bear the labels of the seven largest ethnic categories, other than Burmans. In these legislatures, ethnically-designated parties won just 2 of 18 seats in Chin, 7 of 40 in Kachin, none of 15 in Kayah, 1 of 16 in Kayin, 3 of 23 in Mon, 22 of 35 in Rakhine, and 47 of 103 in Shan. (In the last case, the Shan-designated party was only one of a variety of ethnically designated parties that managed to win seats.) (Courtesy of Nikkei Asian Review)
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Arakan National Party stakes claim for post of chief minister
The Arakan National Party, the most successful of the ethnic parties in last month’s election, is staking its claim to the post of chief minister in Rakhine State where it expects the NLD to allow it to form the next government.
The ANP emerged as the single largest party in the 47-seat Rakhine assembly but fell just short of an overall majority.
U Aye Thar Aung, a member of the ANP central executive committee who was among 22 party candidates to win a seat in the Union Parliament in Nay Pyi Taw, noted that the chief minister is appointed by the president who will be nominated by the National League for Democracy.
“If the NLD appoints a chief minister from the NLD, then the members of government will also come from the NLD. So we would not be able to form a government … I think that the NLD will negotiate with us [ethnic parties] over this issue,” he told The Myanmar Times yesterday.
Despite the success of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi’s party in securing an absolute majority in the Union Parliament, or Pyidaungsu Hluttaw, U Aye Thar Aung said she would still need the support of ethnic parties to carry out her goals. (Courtesy of MMTimes)
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The ANP emerged as the single largest party in the 47-seat Rakhine assembly but fell just short of an overall majority.
U Aye Thar Aung, a member of the ANP central executive committee who was among 22 party candidates to win a seat in the Union Parliament in Nay Pyi Taw, noted that the chief minister is appointed by the president who will be nominated by the National League for Democracy.
“If the NLD appoints a chief minister from the NLD, then the members of government will also come from the NLD. So we would not be able to form a government … I think that the NLD will negotiate with us [ethnic parties] over this issue,” he told The Myanmar Times yesterday.
Despite the success of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi’s party in securing an absolute majority in the Union Parliament, or Pyidaungsu Hluttaw, U Aye Thar Aung said she would still need the support of ethnic parties to carry out her goals. (Courtesy of MMTimes)
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Men detained for ‘Rohingya calendar’ make brief court appearance
Five people who were sent to jail for their involvement in printing a calendar that stated that Rohingya Muslims are an ethnic-religious minority in Myanmar made a brief appearance at Yangon’s Pazundaung Township Court on Tuesday, 1 December.
On Nov. 23, the men - two Buddhists and three Muslims - were fined US$800 each under the 2014 Printing and Publishing Law’s Article 4,which bars individuals from publishing materials that could damage national security and law and order.
The following day they were sent to Yangon’s Insein Prison after being also charged with the Penal Code’s Article 505 (b). The charge, which carries a prison sentence for publishing information that may “cause public fear or alarm,” was widely used during junta rule to incarcerate political prisoners.
At Tuesday’s hearing, a police officer who acts as plaintiff in the case told the judge that police are still seeking a Muslim man named Aung Khin for allegedly ordering the printing assignment. Judge Nay Aung Myi set the next hearing on Dec. 9 and the defendants were quickly taken back to jail. (Courtesy of Mizzima)
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On Nov. 23, the men - two Buddhists and three Muslims - were fined US$800 each under the 2014 Printing and Publishing Law’s Article 4,which bars individuals from publishing materials that could damage national security and law and order.
The following day they were sent to Yangon’s Insein Prison after being also charged with the Penal Code’s Article 505 (b). The charge, which carries a prison sentence for publishing information that may “cause public fear or alarm,” was widely used during junta rule to incarcerate political prisoners.
At Tuesday’s hearing, a police officer who acts as plaintiff in the case told the judge that police are still seeking a Muslim man named Aung Khin for allegedly ordering the printing assignment. Judge Nay Aung Myi set the next hearing on Dec. 9 and the defendants were quickly taken back to jail. (Courtesy of Mizzima)
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‘Arakan army’ leader, its 3 members denied bail
A Rangamati court on Thursday sent suspected leader of Myanmar insurgent group ‘Arakan Army’ Renin Suye and its three members to jail rejecting their bail petitions in three cases filed with Rajasthali police station. Senior judicial magistrate Kazi Mohammad Hossain passed the order when the four Myanmar nationals-Renin Suye, Jo Su Aung Marma, 42, and Mong Su Aang Marma, 39, Ong U Yang Rakhain- were produced before his court. The court also fixed December 20 for next hearing. Earlier on August 26, tipped off, a team of army and police personnel conducted a joint drive in Kainda union of Rajasthali upazila and arrested Ong U Yang Rakhain ,Jo Su Aung Marma, and Mong Su Aang Marma, on suspicion of their involvement with the insurgent group. In another drive on October 15, Renin Suye was arrested from Islampur in Rajasthali, according to a news agency. (Courtesy of Financial Express BD)
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